Self oiling leader pins for die sets



. Jan. 19, 1932.

w. T, CLARK 1 1,842,071

SELF OILING LEADER PINS FOR DIE SETS Filed Jan. 3;, .1929

f I 9 up Z7- V3 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 warren stares WILLIAM T. CLARK, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN sELFoiLIne LEADER PINS non DIE snrs Applicationiilcd. January 31, 1929. Serial No. 236,550.

This invention relates particularly to'metal stamping presses, but is applicable to presses used for other purposes, in which the reciprocating platen or ram is guided accurately by leader pins in its movements toward and away from the bed of the press. The bed and platen, in a stamping press, carry the opposedcomplemental dies, which give contour to the article to be produced, when the dies are brought together.

The invention resides in an improvement in the specific construction of the leader pins, whereby such pins are more efiiciently and uniformly lubricated automatically in the operation of the press.

'The details of construction embodied in my invention will hereinafter be particularly describedyand the novelty residing in the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

7 Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevationand partly in section, showing the bed and platen of a stamping press provided with leader pins constructed in accordance withmyinvention. p

i Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the leader pins, as'in Fig. 1, illustrating more clearly the details of its construction and arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33, Fig. 2, looking from the under side, or in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4: is a vertical central section through the valve mechanism, enlarged over Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the transversely slotted and axially bored plug, forming part of the valve through which the oil passes to effect lubrication.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the bed of a stamping press, or press for other uses, and the numeral 11 the reciprocating platen or ram thereof. At separated points near the ends of the bed of the press are preferably fixed leader pins 12, eXtend-' ing perpendicularly to the plane of the bed. The platen 11 is bored near its ends for the reception of the free ends of the leader pins, the perforations in the platen preferably being lined with wear resisting sleeves or bushings 13, of considerable linear extent, adapted to closely embrace the leader pins. Each leader pin12 is bored axially at its free end to produce an oil reservoir 14, and the bottom of the'reservoir is provided with a reduced bore in which one end of a tube 15, is firmly set so that the tube stands in a position concentric to the walls of the reservoir. The lower end of the tube 15 is closed by a plug 16 driven therein. The height of the tube 15 is a little less than that of the walls surrounding the bore 14 in the leader pin, the purpose of which construction will later be described. The leader pin is'bored transversely of its diametenas at 17 such bore extending through the leader pin in the region at the bottom of thereduced bore in the pin, and of the tube 15 with its. plug 16. There may be one or a plurality oftransverse bores 17. These terminate in a circumferential oil collecting groove 18, about the leader pin. A small through aperture 19, located in the axial line of the plug 16, leads to the bore 17, or to the intersection of the plurality of such bores, if the latter be provided.

At its upper end, the plug '16 is arcuately slotted across its diameter, as at 20, the width of the slot being a little less than the diameter of the aperture 19 therein, as shown in Fig. 5. The said aperture 19 is threaded for the length of the plug 16. The valve rod 21 having a key, 22, at its upper end, and the lower end threaded, as at 23, isadapted to be inserted in the tube 15 with its threaded end engaging the threaded bore 19 of the plug 16. The said valve rod is maintained permanently in position in the tube by the engagement, of its threaded lower end with the threads at the opposite sidesof the slot 20, and when it is not entered in the unbroken portion of the threaded opening 19, will permitj the flow of'oil from the tube 15, through the aperture 19, and into the transverse bore 17. .By adjusting the position of the valve rod 21 down, the size of the oil passage may be regulated, as desired,.or it may be entirely closed, to stop the flow of the oil.

Oneendof a wick24, is-inserted in the tube 15, and preferably extended until it contacts with the upper end of the plug 16, such end of the plug lying in a plane a little below that of the bottom of the oil reservoir 14. The other end of the wick is arranged at the outside of the tube, and may extend to the bottom of the said oil reservoir. The open end of the oil reservoir 14; formed in the leader pin is closed by a cap 25, provided with a perforation 26, through which oil may be supplied to fill the reservoir. The capillary flow of oil induced by the wick 2 augmented by a slight siphonic action, so that there is a constant and uniform flow of oil r from the reservoir into the tube, and when permitted by the adjustment of the valve rod 23, through the opening in the plug 16, into the bore or bores 17, by which later it is distributed to the surface of the leader pin. Lubrication of the leader pin in the bearings 13 is thus effected. An additional oil collecting groove 27, receiving oil from the walls of the bushing 13, will aid in the lubrication.

In my construction all of the oil which reaches the bearings for the leader pins to effect the lubrication thereof, is drawn into the tube by the capillary action of the wick 24. In the movement of the oil through the wick from the reservoir to the tube, a filtering action takes place, which serves to free the oil from any impurities which may be present. This filtering action therefore prevents anything but purified oil from entering the bearings.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a press, a bed, a leader pin fixed therein, a platen reciprocable on the leader pin and having a bearing for the pin, and means for lubricating the said bearing, such means embodying an oil reservoir in the pin, a tube fixed in the reservoir and having a valve at "-3 its lower end, with duets leading from the valve to the exterior of the pin, and means effecting flow of oil from the reservoir into the tube.

2. In a press, a bed, a leader pin fixed therein, a platen reciprocable on the leader pin and having a bearing for the pin, and means for lubricating the said bearing, such means embodying a bore forming a reservoir in the free end of the pin, a tube open at its upper end and closed at its iower end fixed in the said bore with a small aperture leading from the closed end, a valve rodoperating in the said aperture to regulate the flow of oil from the tube, with ducts leading from the said aperture to the exterior of the pin, and means for effecting flow of oil from the reservoir into the tube. V

3. In a press, abed, a leader pin fixed therein, a platen reciprocable on the leader pin, and having a bearing for the pin, and means for lubricating the said bearing, such means embodying a bore forming a reservoir in the free end of the pin, a tube concentrically arranged in the bore and fixed at its lower end, a closing plug in the said end of the tube and having a small aperture therethrough, a valve rod operating in the said aperture to regulate the tlow of oil from the tube, with ducts leading from the said aperture to the exterior surface of the pin, and a Wick leading from the here to the tube to effect the flow oil from the reservoir to the tube, and filter the same.

at. In a press, a bed, a leader pin fixed therein, a platen reciprocable on the leader pin and having a bearing for the pin, and means for lubricating the saidhearing, such means em bodying a bore forming an oil reservoir in the free end of the pin, a concentric tube fixed in the bore and closed at its lower end with a plug provided with an axially threaded aperture and a transverse passage communicative with the aperture, a valve rod engaging the threaded portion of the plug to regulate the flow of oil from the tube, ducts leading from the said aperture to the exterior of the pin, and a wick leading from the bore to the tube to effect the flow of oil from the reservoir into the tube, and filter the same.

5. In a press, a bed, a leader pin fixed therein, a platen reciprocable on the leader pin and having a bearing for the pin, and means for lubricating the said bearing, such means embodying an oil reservoir in the pin, a tube fixed in the reservoir and having a small aperture at its lower end, a threaded member working in the said aperture and adjustable to regulate the flow of oil therethrough, with ducts leading from the said aperture to the exterior of the pin, and means efl'eeting flow of oil from the reservoir into the tube.

In testimony whereof, I have si ned my name at Milwaukee, this 26th day of anuary,

WILLIAM T. CLARK.

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